By Jerry Mackey
Bill & Rays Truck Repair hosted Bike Night at the Southern Iowa Speedway on Wednesday night. 39 youngsters went home sporting smiles with brand new bicycles.
The racing action saw a night packed with thrilling side by side racing with three of the five features being decided at the finish line with three wide photo finishes. The first of the spectacular finishes was in the Mid State Machine Stock Car division. The race was a battle for the entire 16 lap with Jason McDaniel pacing the field early before a flat tire sidelined the 85, Nathan Ballard then took over and appeared to be in route to the win. Late in the race a three car battle for the lead was witnessed by the great fans of SIS. With Ballard, Jason Hall and Dustin Griffiths taking the white flag three wide, the feature win was up for grabs, the trio raced into turn four and Griffiths found a fast line off of the bottom and took the win leading for the first time the last 100 feet. Hall took second ahead of Ballard.
The Oskaloosa Quality Rental Sportmods saw Maguire Dejong top the 16 lap feature that was only slowed one time for a minor caution. Dejong took the lead from early leader Corey VanZante and went on to take the win over Oskaloosa hot shoe Curtis VanDerwal. VanZante crossed under the checkers in third ahead of Blaine Webster.
A strong field of Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks took the green for their 14 lap main event on Wednesday night. Jesse Williams led for the majority of the race but another three wide finish would provide another thrilling photo finish. Dustin Griffiths found a fast line coming to the checkers and grabbed the win ahead of Keaton Gordon and Williams. Griffiths stated in victory lane, “ the track is the best it has been all year, with three lines to run on, you can run high, low or in the middle, this is really fantastical”. The Randy McClure prepared track was perfect all night long.
The Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compacts were not to be outdone on Wednesday night as well. A three wide charge to the finish line saw Clayton Webster score the win in a borrowed car from Billy Cain. Webster shot to the inside of the Delonjay brothers coming off of turn four and took the win by a couple of feet over Jaden Delonjay with Jeffrey Delonjay in tow in third.
The Southern Iowa Speedway fans have adopted Robert Bell as a favorite driver. The veteran form Colfax scored his fifth win of the season in the non-wing sprint car division. Bell made a late race pass, taking the lead from Ben Woods in scoring the win.
Wednesday, June 30th will be Kids Night sponsored by Dickey Transport and Middlekoop Seeds, a candy and nickel scramble will be held during intermission, all youngsters under fifteen will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Wednesday, June 23rd Southern Iowa Speedway Feature Results (top five)
Mid State Machine Stock Cars
- 10 G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
- 95J Jason Hall-Grinnell
- 29 Nathan Ballard-Marengo
- 34 Pat Rachels-China Grove, NC
- 409 Howard Gordon Jr.-Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa Quality Rental Sportmods
- 30M Maguire Dejong-New Sharon
- 1V Curtis VanDerwal-Oskaloosa
- 34Z Corey VnaZante-Sully
- 7 Blaine Webster-Ottumwa
- 352 Charley Weber-Sigourney
Parker Tree Service Hobby Stocks
- 10 G Dustin Griffiths-Hedrick
- 77 Keaton Gordon-Ottumwa
- 54 Jesse Williams-New Sharon
- 1R Rick VanDusseldorp-Oskaloosa
- 3 Travis Bunnell-Hedrick
Dirt N Asphalt Sport Compacts
- 152 Clayton Webster-Ottumwa
- 3 Jaden Delonjay-Quincy, IL
- 32D Jeffrey Delonjay-Quincy, IL
- 5H Tyler Haring-Oskaloosa
- 62 Lewie Winkleman-New Sharon
Non-Wing Sprint Cars
- 71 Robert Bell-Colfax
- 11B Ben Woods-Newton
- 12 Doug Sylvester-Ottumwa
- 25 Kelly Grahahm-Hedrick
- 7X Lance Silvers-Ottumwa
